East Sussex Marilyns

I've made two topping trips to East Sussex: one in November 2006 with Noddy when we topped four out of the five Marilyns and last month in the glorious spring weather when I visited all of tops again.

Ditchling Beacon 814ft (County Top)

Ditchling is a favorite of mine and one of the first I bagged. It's easily accessible from the NT car park and there is a panaramic view including the coast, the South Downs, the Sussex Weald and on a clear day the North Downs. From Ditchling you can see all the other Marilyns in East Sussex. The road up to the Beacon is quite a climb, 2nd gear for Archie and often features in major professional cycling race, event the Tour de France has climbed it. The scarp side is very impressive. Noddy and I did a lovely circular walk via Lower Standean through the folds in downs, finishing on the South Downs Way. Highly recommended.

Crowborough 794ft

The whole town of Crowborough is built on the hill so locating the actual top is a bit difficult. The trig point is hidden in a reservoir complex that some baggers, more intrepid than I, have penetrated, or it could be behind this gate in Warren Road. My first visit was a brief photo stop with the engine running outside the Water Board complex. Feeling I hadn't really done Crowborough justice, I made a second attempt to walk there through the woods on the outskirts of town. I gave up after walking in a circle and drove there instead. Just outside Crowborough is the Ashdown Forest, a large sandy heath and plantation with lots of open access. It is best known for being the home of Pooh Bear and where poohsticks was first played.

Firle Beacon (712ft)

Firle Beacon is just to the west of the delightful village of Alfriston, which lies in a gap in the South Downs. It possesses several tempting teashops, a lovely village green and the first National Trust property, the beautiful Clergy House. There are some fine walks along the Cuckmere Valley and if you felt energetic, you could walk to the Seven Sisters cliffs about four miles away. The nearest car park is on top of the downs near the village of Firle up another steep, 2nd gear climb. The view takes in the port of Newhaven and the ferries and nearby Cliffe Hill. It was very popular for all sorts of activities; cycling, horse riding, kite flying and a beginners class for paragliding.

Wilmington Hill (702ft)

Wilmington Hill is to the east of Alfriston along the South Downs Way. I walked with Noddy on the most glorious winter day. We had left home well before dawn and had breakfast in a remote car park just below the hill, (the main one in the village had a height barrier!). There were great panaramic views of the South Downs, which are chalky hills and mainly grazed by sheep, so they are great for walking but can be very breezy.
On my recent trip I walked from the Alfriston to Wilmington to see the Long Man carved into the chalk which isn't really visible from the top of the hill.

Cliffe Hill (538ft)

Cliffe Hill is the lowest Marilyn in England rising up in a great mass just to the east of Lewes, the county town of East Sussex. The shortest way there is from Lewes but I didn't fancy the climb from sea level. The added difficulty is that the top is actually on a golf course requiring some trespassing. I set out from Glynde to the east of the hill and on my way was overtaken by some ramblers I'd see earlier on Firle Beacon. It was a pretty steep climb up the slopes of Mount Caborn (a hillfort) but once again the views were suberb. There were paragliders circling overhead, views of Glynde Place and the folds and valleys hidden from road, with wonderful names like Bible Bottom. The route to top favoured by other toppers involved walking through a farmer's field and over a stile into the golf course. The field was occupied by some very large cows so I reluctantly gave up and returned as daylight was beginning to fade. I'll be having a rematch with Cliffe Hill later in the year.